52 SINGING BIRDS— OSCINES. 



liaving habits rather intermediate between those of the titmice and war- 

 blers, coiTesponding with their intermediate form. They had something of 

 tlie same song as the Pariis, and a loud call, generally nttered as they sat 

 on a high twig, besides a lisping triple note like that of Uec-ta-tu. 



On the loth of ^^larcli, I found a ]iair l)uilding, first forming a wall nearly 

 spherical in outline, out of tlie tliorny twigs of the Alijarohia (in which tree the 

 nest is usually built), then lining it M'itli softer twigs, leaves, down of plants, 

 and feathers, covering the outside with tliorns, until it becomes a mass as 

 large as a man's head, or 9 X 5.50 inches outside, the cavity 4.50 X 2.70, with 

 an opening in one side, just large enough for the bird to enter. On the 

 27th of March, I found the first nest containing eggs, and afterwards many 

 more. There were in all cases four eggs, pale blue, v>\i\\ numerous small 

 brown spots, chiefly near the large end, though some had very fe\\' spots and 

 were much paler ; size 0.60 X 0.44 inch. In one nest which I watched, they 

 hatched in about ten days, and in two weeks more the young were ready to 

 leave the nest. 



I noticed the nests of this liird in tlie A![/aroIiias that grow in a few places 

 on the mountains west of the Colorado Valley, and along INIojaAe Eiver as 

 far w'est as " Point of Eocks," where that tree ceases to grow. They were 

 exceedingly wild in that district, and no doubt leave it for the Colorado Val- 

 ley "in winter, as I saw none of them there in December. 



Sub-Family SITTING. 



Char. Body depressed. Bill about etpial to, or longer than the head. 

 Wings much pointed ; much longer than the nearly even tad. Tarsus 

 shorter than the middle toe and claw, wliich are about eipial to the hinder. 

 Plumage more compact than in I'urhuc. 



The Sittina' are represented in America by only a single genus, Sitta, 

 with several species, two of whicli are peculiar to the "Western regions, two 

 to tlie Eastern, and one common to both. Other forms belong to the Old 

 AVorld, one of them, Sittdla, peculiar to Australia. 



The Old World species of Sitta amount to about eight, one of these, 

 recently discovered in Northern China, having a very close resemblance to 

 S. Carolinensis. There is no species, however, which is found in both 

 America and Europe, or Asia. 



